Democrat Andrew Cuomo campaigned Sunday with his rival in the 2002 governor’s race, H. Carl McCall, the former state comptroller, prompting a harsh response from Republican contender Carl Paladino.

McCall was the only African American to hold a statewide office in New York before David Paterson became governor in 2008, and McCall remains the only black politician elected statewide. He retired from politics after losing the governor’s race to George Pataki eight years ago.

Democratic candidate for governor Andrew Cuomo said Sunday that he and his father always had warm ties with the chasidic community and he hoped to “take it to another level” if he is elected next month.

“We have a special relationship that goes back many years,” the attorney general and son of three-term governor Mario Cuomo said during meetings with prominent chasidic leaders in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, as seen on a YouTube video of the meetings.

The upset victory of Buffalo developer and Tea Party activist Carl Paladino in Tuesday’s Republican primary for governor over Rick Lazio is likely to solidify the Democrats’ most crucial voting blocs — including Jews — and drive most independents into the Democrats’ camp as well in November’s election, observers say.